In this review, we will be comparing R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R200 50th AE and Polk R200 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk R200 50th AE | Polk R200 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Ring Radiator | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Polypropylene | 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 51-38k Hz | 51-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-200 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.80kg / 19.4lbs | 8.69kg / 19.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-1/16" x 7-9/16" x 13-15/16"
358.0 x 193.0 x 355.0mm | 14-1/8" x 7-9/16" x 13-15/16"
359.0 x 193.0 x 355.0mm |
|---|
R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200 are members of Polk Audio's Reserve series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Polk Audio Reserve Series
History
What size room are the Polk R200 50th AE and Polk R200 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Polk R200 50th AE |
Polk R200 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200 are 2-way speakers.
Polk R200 50th AEPolk R200
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Polk R200 50th AE |
Polk R200 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
R200 50th Anniversary Edition features a 1" ring radiator Pinnacle with an integrated waveguide Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the R200 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3000Hz.
Frequency Response
R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200 has exactly the same frequency range of 51-38k Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
R200 50th Anniversary Edition
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 86 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
R200 50th Anniversary Edition
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200 have the same power range of 30-200 watts.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
R200 50th Anniversary Edition features Binding post type posts and R200 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R200 50th AE's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Polk R200 Port
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Polk R200 50th AE's and Polk R200's external dimensions. Polk R200 50th AE has external dimensions of 358.0 x 193.0 x 355.0mm (24-28inch x 7-9/16inch x 13-15/16inch) whereas Polk R200 has external dimensions of 359.0 x 193.0 x 355.0mm (14-1/8 x 7-9/16 x 13-15/16inch).
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R200 50th AE and Polk R200 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R200 50th AE and Polk R200 Size and External Dimensions
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Polk R200 50th AE is approximately 685.2cm2 / 106.2inch2 and base area of the Polk R200 is approximately 685.2cm2 / 106.2inch2.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Polk R200 50th AE and Polk R200 on a Media Console
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Polk R200 50th AE weighs 8.80kg / 19.4lbs and the Polk R200 weighs 8.69kg / 19.1lbs. This makes the R200 50th Anniversary Edition 1% heavier than the R200.
Here is a comparison of how R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R200's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk R200 50th AE?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R200 50th Anniversary Edition:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
- Certificate Of Aunthenticity
What's in the Box of Polk R200?
Here are the items that come with the R200:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
 Height |
358mm
vs
359mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
749USD
vs
1249USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Polk Audio Reserve R200 50th Anniversary Edition |
Polk Audio Reserve R200 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-200 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
3.8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
51-38k Hz |
51-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Ring Radiator |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
3000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
358.0mm (14.1") |
359.0mm (14.1") |
| Width |
193.0mm (7.6") |
193.0mm (7.6") |
| Depth |
355.0mm (14") |
355.0mm (14") |
| Weight |
8.80kg (19.4lbs) |
8.69kg (19.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Cherry |
Black, Walnut, White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
24-28" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in Polk Audio's Reserve series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (51Hz vs 51Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | B | Polk R200 is cheaper - $749 against $1,249, about 40% less; arguably a different class. |
A Polk R200 50th AE B Polk R200
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Match it to your room: we rate Polk R200 50th AE the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Polk R200 for a small room. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $500 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.